TNAG-0658-FCO40-807-Policy-of-Government-of-Hong-Kong-on-education-1977 — Page 130

C.S. 166

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CONFIDENTIAL # #

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XCC(76)51

the medium of instruction should be in English or Chinese, though it was expected that the tendency towards English language instruction would continue. This tendency indicates that a greater proportion of qualified school leavers will be capable of proceeding to either university and will not be restricted to entering the Chinese University on language grounds.

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From these considerations, the conclusion may be drawn that in the next planning period the total student numbers might rise at a similar rate to that at which they have grown in recent years, without there being overprovision in relation to the demand from qualified school leavers. After 1980, however, when the population in the relevant age group will decline, it will be possible to meet the rising expectations for higher education, without a further increase in the number of places available.

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While it may be satisfactory to plan for the expansion of secondary education with regard only to the demand for places from suitable students and the availability of financial resources, planning for the expansion of higher education should take account of the effect on the labour market of a higher output of graduates. The Working Party has considered the anticipated demand for the employment of highly educated people generally (Head B(i), paragraphs 18-22) and has made three important findings:

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(a)

(b)

(c)

the total number of professional, technical, ad- ministrative and managerial workers is expected to rise by under 3% per annum up to 1981;

the percentage of such workers who have had a post-secondary education is expected to have increased from 14. 3% to 18.7% in the decade

1971-81, and the percentage of university graduates to have increased from 24.8% to 25.4% over the same period; and

in 1971 about 37.6% of persons with post-secondary or university education were employed in occupa- tions not considered to be appropriate for highly- educated persons.

The Working Party has considered the demand for graduates of vocationally-orientated courses (Head B(ii), paragraphs 23-28). These are the courses leading to the specialised qualifications for entry to technologist and technician posts. According to the estimates

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